Case Studies

Our hyperpolarisation technology enables a novel means of obtaining an extremely high Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) signal offering significantly increased sensitivity.  The project will develop demonstration applications which illustrate the enhanced capability of MRI offered by the hyperpolarisation technology.  These advanced applications will facilitate the accelerated diagnosis of specific disease states by imaging. Proposal sponsored by the University of York and approved at the March 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

Biopharmaceuticals are recombinant proteins made from genetically engineered bacteria or mammalian cells and generate a global market of$50 billion pa. Their large-scale production is expensive - particularly for mammalian cells. Our technology is a Recombinant Protein Expression Enhancer which boosts production of recombinant proteins by mammalian cells by a remarkable 400-500%; this could dramatically reduce production costs in the biotechnology industry. Proposal sponsored by the University of Sheffield and approved at the March 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

RadiVis is a technology to be incorporated in garments in order to render the wearer distinctively visible to radar. It offers a unique and improved detection capability with the potential for saving lives and has already attracted key segments of the Search and Rescue market. Proposal sponsored by the University of Leeds and approved at the December 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

Engineers at the University of Huddersfield have developed a new imaging technique that can significantly improve the accuracy of flow measurement in multiphase and difficult single phase flow conditions.  The Yorkshire Proof of Commercial Concept Fund is being used to develop a commercial flowmeter product based on this new technology. Proposal sponsored by the University of Huddersfield and approved at the December 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting

Researchers at the University of Leeds are developing a new oral drug (anticoagulant) against the development of blood clots. This presents for the first time the potential for an anticoagulant with minimal bleeding side effects. Yorkshire Concept funding will enable the development of the commercial strategy for taking the drug to marke. Proposal sponsored by the University of Leeds and approved at the December 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting

Research breakthroughs in specialist glass at the University of Leeds have enabled the development of next generation eye-safe laser technology.  Products resulting from the project will allow the production of lasers which use less power, are more reliable, lighter weight, more robust, and lower cost.  This will particularly benefit applications in the military area. Proposal sponsored by the University of Leeds and approved at the December 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting

Behaviour to Neurochemistry is a preclinical testing service assessing the efficacy of new therapies to improve cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and other disorders. It is currently run as an academic enterprise. Yorkshire Concept Funding will provide the management, sales and marketing resources required to turn it into a commercial entity. Proposal sponsored by the University of Bradford and approved at the December 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting

A team at the University of Leeds have identified an attractive commercial opportunity for provision of training and equipment to medical professionals. We will launch the product in mid 2010. The details of the product will be kept confidential until product launch to avoid competitors copying our idea and to give us first mover advantage. Proposal sponsored by the University of Leeds and approved at the September 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

for further information visit  http://www.rescupod.com/

Skills and Competences are the foundation upon which any organisation competes. A clear understanding of HOW these are developed and used is vital to organisational success. Skills Forge is a web-based management system that provides organisations and their staff with a powerful set of tools to manage and develop competencies across individuals and teams. Proposal sponsored by the University of York and approved at the October 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

for further information visit  http://www.skillsforge.co.uk/

LIMA is a unique software tool allows for acquiring, manipulating, classifying and reporting a variety of crime marks – footwear, tyres, gloves, fingerprints – through an intuitive and unified graphical interface.  It is seen as transformational in the use of crime marks by the UK Police and has excited considerable interest from individuals, user groups, and NPIA as well as other commercial players. For more information please visit the website. Project sponsored by the University of Sheffield and approved at the October 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting

Engineers at the University of Huddersfield have developed a new drag reduction device that, when fitted to commercial vehicle trailers, will reduce fuel consumption by 5% (and as a result CO₂ emissions by around 4 tonnes per vehicle per annum).  The Yorkshire Proof of Commercial Concept Fund is being used to take this device from a laboratory prototype to a commercially available product. Proposal sponsored by the University of Huddersfield and approved at the October 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting

The University of Leeds has developed breakthrough technology using semiconductor devices to detect microscopic traces of proteins, including biomarkers of specific diseases.  This could move many medical diagnostic tests from the laboratory to the patient via a plug-in USB device that produces highly accurate results in minutes. For further details on eTect please click here. Proposal sponsored by the University of Leeds and approved at the October 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting

Energy efficient microbubbles can be made with our technique. Laboratory trials of our microporous diffuser show 20 micron bubbles produced with less energy usage than 1-10mm bubbles conventionally.  We will investigate the performance of replacing energy intensive dissolved air flotation in water purification with the same size bubbles produced by fluidic oscillation. Proposal sponsored by the University of Sheffield and approved at the September 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

A computer simulation tool that models visibility in buildings during fire situations based on computer aided design models. Increasingly simulation is used to demonstrate that buildings meet regulations (performance based building design) as this allows greater flexibility than adherence to prescriptive guidance. This is the first system to model visibility. Proposal sponsored by the University of Hull and approved at the September 2009 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

Virtual runner is an 'exercise simulator' software system for athletes in which the software makes the practical elements of biochemistry alive, and interesting. It translates the complex mathematics behind athlete metabolism into an exciting visual and competitive game. It has applications for training and educational markets. Proposal sponsored by Leeds Metropolitan University and approved at the December 2008 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

for further information visit  http://www.runme.mobi/

People who have had their voice box removed due to cancer use artificial speech valves to restore vocal function. These valves require frequent uncomfortable changes due to contamination and these are estimated to cost the NHS £10 million per year. We have developed a valve resistant to contamination which avoids these frequent changes. Proposal sponsored by the University of Hull and approved at the December 2008 Yorkshire Fund Board meeting.

The University of Hull formed a spin out company in late 2009 Avoco Medical Ltd to exploit the technology and pitched for investment at the Connect Yorkshire Investment Forum on the 7th July 2010.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed novel suspension technology for mountain bikes. Electronic controls are used to sense the severity of the terrain and optimize suspension performance accordingly. A first generation prototype was previously developed using Sheffield University's own proof of concept fund. The Yorkshire Concept Proof of Commercial Concept Fund is being used to develop a market ready prototype and to establish the most suitable route for commercial exploitation.

The University of Sheffield have formed a spin out company to exploit the technology, mr Shox and the company won the Investment Competition at venturefest Yorkshire 2010.

We have developed and tested real time techniques for 3D storage and retrieval. These techniques are based on intelligent mathematical algorithms. Demonstration software is available for applications in the area of 3D face recognition. Our compression techniques can compress 3D human facial data by more than 2000 times without any quality compromise. Our search algorithms can search through large data sets in real-time for both verification (1:1) and identification (1: Many) purposes.

The University of Bradford  have created a spin out Tangentix  from their School of Computing, Informatics and Media to exploit this technology.  Investment has been provided by Enterprise Ventures, via its RisingStars Growth Fund and the South Yorkshire Investment Fund’s Seedcorn Fund. Funding has been secured to further Funding has been secured to further develop a technology demonstrator and validate the market opportunity.

For further information visit http://www.tangentix.com/

The aim of this project was to determine if multiple antibodies generated to different epitopes on the same protein target could be combined to generate increased detection sensitivity. If successful this project would provide a path to reagents with high sensitivity, high specificity and short production timescales, to address unmet need for sensitive detection and analysis of novel gene products (i.e. proteins) involved in diseases such as cancer.

Sheffield Hallam University have created a spin out to exploit this technology, S I Biolgics a division of  Sheaf Innovations Ltd. For further information visit  http://www.sibiologics.co.uk/

The Team at the University of Hull has conclusively demonstrated that micro reactors offer many advantages in achieving cleaner, more atom efficient and chemically selective syntheses. The control of chemical reactions in micro reactors has been demonstrated to give faster reactions and improved product yields with greater product selectivity compared with conventional bench top methodology. Whilst these advantages offer clear and immediate benefits to the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries in areas such as reaction optimisation and process development, the technology has not been developed in order to enable industrial quantities of product to be prepared; this was the key aim of this project.

The University of Hull have created a joint venture Chemtrix as a result of the co-operation between Dr. Paul Watts of The University of Hull and Lionix BV. Chemtrix BV has been established following investment from a consortium of Dutch organisations. The University retains a shareholding in the new company along with fellow founders LioniX BV. Chemtrix BV has secured an investment package worth up to £2 million and recently opened a US subsidiary.

For further information visit http://www.chemtrix.com/web/

Relevant human tissue models are required to bridge the gap between animals and humans. The lining of the bladder (urothelium) is a direct target tissue for drug interventions in bladder disease; but crucially, it is also an important secondary target and toxicity site for all drugs, since most are urinary-excreted either unmodified or as metabolites. We have developed a robust and patented “biomimetic� human urothelial cell culture system as a research tool that is phenotypically and functionally equivalent to the native human tissue. For more information please visit the Biomimetic Urothelium website.

The human body makes antibodies capable of recognising invading organisms and marking them for destruction by the immune system. The utilization of this capability has been the basis for vaccination, which has saved countless human lives over many years. The key to the success of this process is having the correct antibody. Recently advances in molecular genetics have allowed the creation of high titre, highly representative libraries of human antibodies. Concomitantly, we have identified a new class of MRSA targets for antibodies as part of our large portfolio of research, carried out over many years. The key to the invention is the use of the antibody library in conjunction with our novel targets.